Our Review of Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR)

Our Review of Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR)

At Plan Your Trips, we have analyzed hundreds of airports around the world, gaining a clear understanding of what users expect when visiting an airport. With this know-how, we have created this guide, placing passengers at the forefront of everything, aiming to simplify and enhance the airport experience.

In this guide, our goal is to present information in a manner that is both quick and reliable. Recognizing that passengers often have limited time and may be in a hurry, we strive to ensure that they do not waste time unnecessarily.

Another key focus of our guide is to highlight the strengths of the airport and also the weaknesses, and in some cases, offer recommendations to travelers. In alignment with this approach, we provide users with aggregated information on delays and on-time performance, analyzing both airlines and individual flights.

Pros and Cons of Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR)

PROS

Location: PVR Airport is located 7.5 kilometers from the city of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. It is 10 miles away from Nuevo Vallarta in Nayarit state on Banderas Bay, making it easily accessible for travelers heading to the city or surrounding areas.

Modern Amenities: The airport has modern facilities such as shops, restaurants, and bars. It has pleasant lounges and basic services like vehicle rentals and money exchange.

Airline Connectivity: Puerto Vallarta Airport is a base for Volaris airlines. Airport handles both international and national flights.

Accessibility: Taxis, shuttles, and rental automobiles provide convenient access to the city. Many hotels offer shuttle services, and public transit choices are also available.

Quick Customs and Immigration: For many passengers, customs and immigration procedures are quite quick, particularly during off-peak hours, providing for a more seamless entry and depart experience.

Family-Friendly Services: Facilities such as baby changing rooms and family restrooms are available to meet the requirements of traveling families.

 

CONS

Seasonal Crowding: During peak travel seasons, the airport may get quite busy, resulting in longer wait times and a crowded place.

Single Terminal Layout: While having one terminal makes navigating easier, it can get crowded, especially when dealing with a larger number of people.

Transportation Costs: Taxi and shuttle services can be pricey, and there may be few public transit options connecting the airport to certain rural regions. So, plan your transportation accordingly.

Lack of Services: There are no lockers or storage areas for luggage. There is no designated smoking area. PVR Airport offers free Wi-Fi for only 15 minutes throughout the airport i.e., it doesn’t provide unlimited Wi-Fi facility.

Limited Lounge Access: The availability of lounges is limited, and entrance to specific lounges may demand additional fees or membership.

Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide)

Single Terminal Layout: Puerto Vallarta Airport features a single terminal that handles both domestic and international flights. This structure makes navigating easier because you won’t need to transfer between terminals. However, it is still advisable to verify your departure gate information upon arrival.

Transport to and from Puerto Vallarta:  PVR Airport is located approximately 7.5 kilometers from the city of Puerto Vallarta. Taxis, shuttle services, and rental cars are all options for getting to the city. Public buses are also available; however, their frequency may be lower than that of other modes of transportation. Many hotels provide shuttle services for their guests’ convenience.

Check-in Areas: The check-in area is located in second level of the single terminal building along with departure area.

Amenities and Services:

• Dining and Shopping: The airport has a wide range of stores, restaurants, and cafés, including local and foreign dining options, as well as duty-free shopping.
• Lounges: There are several lounges available, each offering comfortable seats, snacks, and a quiet area to relax. Access to some lounges may require membership or additional expenses.
• Family Facilities: The airport is family-friendly, with features including baby changing stations and family toilets.

Additional Tips: Currency exchange services are available in the terminal. It is suggested to arrive at the airport at least 2-3 hours before your flight to have enough time for check-in, security, and any possible delays.

How we calculate On Time Performance

On various pages of our website, you will encounter a metric widely utilized in aviation and other forms of transportation known as OTP (On Time Performance). We believe that providing this metric assists passengers in planning their trips and exploring alternatives before purchasing their flight tickets.

We calculate the On Time Performance for all flights and airlines, when we have enough data to do so. In certain instances, it may not be feasible to accurately compute the On-Time Performance for a specific flight or airline due to inadequate or non-representative data, which could result in misleading conclusions.

Our calculation of On Time Performance and delay information solely relies on arrival times. This approach is chosen over calculating departure delays, as we consider arrival punctuality to be of primary concern to passengers.

The On Time Performance displayed on our website is calculated as follows:

• On Time: Flights that arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time, or earlier. In the absence of data for a specific flight, we assume the flight arrives on time, to avoid penalizing airlines for data unavailability.
• Moderate Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 15 to 30 minutes.
• Significant Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 30 to 60 minutes.
• Major Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay exceeding 60 minutes.
• Average Delay: The average delay is calculated by considering flights that arrive early as having a delay of 0 minutes. Early arrivals do not contribute to reducing the average delay calculation

Some Stats

Airlines with more flight operations (last 3 months)

Airlines with best on-time performance at Puerto Vallarta Airport (last 3 months)

Routes with more flights from Puerto Vallarta Airport (last month)